SG Custom
The SG Custom was introduced in 1961, slotting above the SG Standard as the top of the line model. It has been one of the longest-lasting variants of the SG, only shortly being discontinued from 1980-1985. Generally, older parts would continue being used longer for SG Customs because less of them were produced than Standards, so supplies of Custom-specific parts (like gold plated pickups, for example) would take longer to run out. 1961-1966 * 1962: $425 Body: * Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body * Angled heel * Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish Neck: * 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany * Set-in construction ** 3 degree angle ** Hot hide glue * Joins body at 22nd fret * Ebony fretboard ** Mother of Pearl block inlays ** 12" radius * Open Book headstock w/ Holly veneer * Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo * Inlaid Mother of Pearl split diamond * 17o headstock pitch * 14o headstock pitch (1965-1966) * 22 "Fretless Wonder" frets * 24 5/8" scale * 1 11/16" nut width * 1 5/8" nut width (1964) * 1 9/16" nut width (1965-1966) Binding: * Single-ply, neck * Multi-ply, headstock Electronics: * Three covered "PAF" humbuckers (1961-1963) ** Short AlNiCo V magnets (mostly) ** Long AlNiCo II magnets (late 1960-mid 1961) ** ~7-9K Ohms DCR * Three covered "Pat. #" humbuckers (1963-1965) ** Short AlNiCo V magnets ** ~7-8k Ohms DCR * Three covered "T-Top" humbuckers (1966) ** Short bar AlNiCo V magnets ** ~7.5K Ohms DCR ** Patent # sticker * 3-way switch ** Center pos. selects neck & middle pickups * 2 Vol, 2 Tone ** CTS 500k pots Hardware: * Gold hardware * Grover Rotomatic tuning machines (1960-1963) ** 14:1 ratio * Kluson "Waffleback" tuning machines (1963-1966) ** 12:1 ratio ** Gold Keystone buttons * 3-ply "Angel Wing" pickguard ** Wide bevel angle * Bell shaped truss rod cover ** 2-ply, wide bevel angle *** Blank ** 2-ply, standard bevel (1965-1966) *** Blank * 3-ply w/b/w tenon cover ** "Les Paul Custom" engraved (1961-1962) ** "Custom" engraved (1963-1966) * Black/Gold Reflector knobs w/ pointers * ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Sideways vibrola (1961-1962) * ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Ebony Block vibrola (1962) * ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Maestro vibrola (1963-1966) Finishes: * White 1967-1971 * March 1970: $525 * September 1970: $565 Body: * Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body * Angled heel (1967-1968) * Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish Neck: * 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany * 3-pc laminated Honduran Mahogany (mid 1969-1971) * Set-in construction ** 3 degree angle ** Titebond glue * Joins body at 22nd fret * Ebony fretboard ** Mother of Pearl trapezoid inlays ** 12" radius * Volute (1970-1971) * Open Book headstock w/ Holly veneer * Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo * Inlaid Mother of Pearl split diamond * "Made in U.S.A." stamp (late 1970-1971) * 14o headstock pitch * 22 "Fretless Wonder" frets * 24 5/8" scale (1967-1969) * 24 9/16" scale (1969-1971) * 1 9/16" nut width Binding: * Single-ply, neck * Multi-ply, headstock Electronics: * Three covered "T-Top" humbuckers ** Short bar AlNiCo V magnets ** ~7.5K Ohms DCR ** Patent # sticker * 3-way switch * 2 Vol, 2 Tone ** CTS 500k pots Hardware: * Gold Hardware * Kluson "Waffleback" tuning machines ** Keystone buttons * 3-ply w/b/w "Batwing" pickguard ** Wide bevel angle (1967-1968) ** Shallow bevel angle (1969-1971) * Bell shaped truss rod cover ** 2-ply black and white ** "Custom" engraving * Black/Gold Reflector knobs w/ pointers (early-mid 1967) * Black/Gold Witch Hat knobs w/ pointers (mid 1967-1971) * ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Maestro vibrola Finishes: * White (1967-1968) * Walnut (1969-1971) 1971-1972 * Mid 1971 - Mid 1972 Body: * Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body ** Un-beveled cutaways * Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish Neck: * 3-pc laminated Honduran Mahogany * Set-in construction ** No angle ** Titebond glue * Joins body at 20th fret * Ebony fretboard w/ block inlays ** 12" radius * Volute * Large Open Book headstock w/ fiber veneer * Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo * Inlaid Mother of Pearl split diamond * "Made in U.S.A." stamp * 14o headstock pitch * 22 frets * 24 9/16" scale * 1 9/16" nut width Binding: * Single-ply, neck * Multi-ply, headstock Electronics: * Three "T-Top" humbuckers ** Short bar AlNiCo V magnets ** ~7.5K Ohms DCR ** "Gibson" embossed covers * 3-way switch * 2 Vol, 2 Tone ** CTS 500k pots ** Front-routed Hardware: * Gold Hardware * Kluson "Waffleback" tuning machines * Grover Rotomatic tuning machines (Sporadic use) * 5-ply Les Paul pickguard * 5-ply Half-Moon front-mounted control plate * Bell shaped truss rod cover ** 2-ply black/white ** "SG Custom" engraving * Black/Gold Witch Hat knobs w/ pointers * ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Bigsby vibrola * Schaller "Harmonica" Tune-O-Matic bridge and Bigsby vibrola Finishes: * Walnut 1972-1979 * June 1973: $605 (Stopbar Tailpiece) ** $620 (Bigsby Tailpiece) * 1974: $620 * January 1975: $670 (Stopbar) ** $685 (Bigsby) * 1976: $699 (Stopbar, Walnut & Cherry) ** $729 (Stopbar, White) ** $710 (Bigsby, Walnut & Cherry) ** $740 (Bigsby, White) * 1977: $749 (Stopbar, Walnut & Cherry) ** $779 (Stopbar, White) ** $760 (Bigsby, Walnut & Cherry) ** $790 (Bigsby, White) * 1978: $799 (Stopbar) ** $820 (Bisgby) * 1979: $849 Body: * Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body * Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish Neck: * 3-pc laminated Honduran Mahogany * Set-in construction ** 3 degree angle ** Titebond glue * Joins body at 20th fret * Ebony fretboard ** Mother of Pearl block inlays ** 12" radius * Volute * Large Open Book headstock w/ fiber veneer * Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo * Inlaid Mother of Pearl split diamond * "Made in U.S.A." stamp * 17o headstock pitch * 22 "Fretless Wonder" frets * 24 9/16" scale * 1 9/16" nut width Binding: * Neck Electronics: * Three covered "T-Top" humbuckers (1972-1974) ** Short bar AlNiCo V magnets ** ~7.5K Ohms DCR ** Patent # sticker * Three Bill Lawrence "Super Humbuckers" ** Indox 7 ceramic magnets ** ~5.4K (neck), 5.4/7.5k (middle), 7.5K (bridge) Ohms DCR ** Epoxy-mounted ** AKA "Tarbacks" * 3-way switch * 2 Vol, 2 Tone ** CTS 500k pots (1972-May 1973) ** CTS 300k pots (July 1973-1979) *** 100k tone (sometimes) Hardware: * Gold Hardware * Kluson "Waffleback" tuning machines (1972-1974) ** Keystone buttons * Schaller Keystone tuning machines (1975-1979) * Grover Rotomatic tuning machines (Sporadic use) ** Keystone or Kidney buttons * 5-ply "Angel Wing" pickguard * Bell shaped truss rod cover ** 2-ply b/w with "SG Custom" engraving (1973-1975) ** 2-ply b/w with "S-G" engraving (1976-1979) * Black Speed knobs ** Pointers (1972-1976) * Schaller "Harmonica" Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece * Optional Bigsby vibrato Finishes: * Walnut * White (1974-1979) * Cherry (1976-1978) * Tobacco Sunburst (1978) * Ebony (7 units, 1975) 1986-1991 1992-1999 Historic 2000-Present Other Variants 1967 reissue (2008)